High Court of Tanzania

This is the second level in the Judiciary justice delivery hierarchy. It has both appellate and original powers on civil and criminal matters. It also hears appeals from the Courts of Resident Magistrate, the District Courts, and the District Land and Housing Tribunals in exercise of their original, appellate and/or revisional jurisdiction. The High Court is divided into Zones and specialized Divisions. 

Physical address
24 Kivukoni Road, P O Box: S.L.P. 9004
556 judgments

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556 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2022
Prosecution failed to establish a prima facie murder case due to unreliable eyewitness identification and contradictory evidence.
Criminal procedure – prima facie case under section 293 CPA – when accused should be called to defend. Evidence Act s.34B – admissibility and weight of written statements in lieu of oral evidence. Identification evidence – single-witness recognition at night is weak and must be watertight; corroboration and absence of contradictions required. Contradictory prosecution evidence and absence of identification parade may render a case unsustainable.
16 June 2022
15 June 2022
13 June 2022
13 June 2022
13 June 2022
Convictions quashed where victim’s testimony was unreliable and a cautioned statement was improperly admitted; paternity not proven.
Criminal law – Sexual offences – Best evidence of rape comes from the victim but must satisfy truthfulness and credibility tests; contradictions can render such evidence unsafe. Criminal law – Impregnating a school girl – Proof of paternity requires concrete or scientific corroboration (DNA) to safely convict. Evidence – Cautioned/confession statements must be cleared, voluntariness inquired into when objected and their contents read before admission; failure warrants expungement. Criminal procedure – Failure to re‑read the charge before trial is not automatically fatal where accused understood the case and effectively participated.
13 June 2022
13 June 2022
13 June 2022
13 June 2022
Applicant failed to account for delay and did not plead illegality in affidavit; extension of time was refused.
Extension of time – requirement to account for all days of delay – reasons must be in supporting affidavit – technical delay excusable only if prompt action – alleged illegality must be apparent and properly pleaded.
10 June 2022
10 June 2022
Appellant failed to discharge burden of proof; respondent’s long uninterrupted occupation and credible evidence established ownership; appeal dismissed.
Land law – burden and evaluation of evidence – proof of gift (oral) versus documentary evidence – long uninterrupted occupation and improvements as evidence of ownership – re‑appraisal of evidence on first appeal – locus standi relevance.
10 June 2022
Appeal dismissed where tribunal validly used newspaper publication as service and appellant failed to challenge the impugned ruling.
Land law – setting aside ex-parte judgments – Regulation 11(2), GN No.174/2003 – service by publication under Regulation 9(c) – sufficiency of notice – requirement that grounds of appeal actually challenge impugned order.
10 June 2022
10 June 2022
Whether the applicant was an employee; court found he was an independent contractor and dismissed the claim.
Labour law — employer-employee relationship — contract of service v contract for service; s.61 Labour Institutions Act presumption factors (control, hours, payroll, economic dependence, tools); Rule 43(1) Labour Court Rules — mandatory notice of representation; jurisdiction of CMA in unfair termination claims.
10 June 2022
9 June 2022
9 June 2022
9 June 2022
Omission to record ward tribunal members and defective locus in quo notes vitiated proceedings; appeal allowed and case quashed.
Land law – Ward Tribunal constitution – requirement to record names (coram) of members at each sitting – omission is fatal and vitiates proceedings. Evidence/procedure – locus in quo visit – must record participants, witness testimony and cross‑examination; failure vitiates trial. Jurisdiction – procedural defects affecting jurisdiction are not cured by overriding objective or by appellate re‑evaluation. Remedies – quash proceedings and judgments; refiling under current statutory regime where appropriate.
8 June 2022
8 June 2022
8 June 2022
7 June 2022
7 June 2022
7 June 2022
7 June 2022
6 June 2022
6 June 2022
6 June 2022
Applicant failed to justify extension of time; delay unexplained and alleged illegality not apparent on record.
Land law – extension of time to appeal – requirement to demonstrate sufficient cause and account for each day of delay. Limitation law – section 19(2) Law of Limitation Act – time for obtaining copies excluded from computation. Civil procedure – supporting affidavit must plead and particularize reasons; submissions are not evidence. Illegality – must be apparent on the face of the record to justify extension of time.
3 June 2022
Civil court lacks jurisdiction over intra‑church disputes until internal constitutional remedies are exhausted.
Church law – intra‑church dispute – requirement to exhaust internal dispute resolution mechanisms under church constitution (Rule XIII) before civil court intervention. Civil procedure – preliminary objection on jurisdiction – religious disputes and the 'hands‑off' approach of civil courts. Urgent interlocutory relief – premature where internal remedies not exhausted.
3 June 2022
A registered titleholder prevails over unproven indigenous claims; plaintiff awarded eviction, demolition, injunction, damages and costs.
Land law — Registered title conclusive against unproven customary claims; proof on balance of probabilities; surveyed and allocated land — allocatee not liable for compensation; trespass — eviction, demolition, injunction and damages awarded; authenticity of documents and requirement to produce originals at trial.
3 June 2022
Extension granted where timely appeal was struck out for defective decree and jurisdictional illegality was alleged.
Extension of time – Law of Limitation s.14(1) and CPC s.95 – technical delay where appeal struck out for defective decree – prompt action and accounting for delay – alleged illegality (lack of territorial and pecuniary jurisdiction) as sufficient reason – Lyamuya principles applied.
3 June 2022
1 June 2022
May 2022
Representative land claim failed for lack of locus standi, unlisted representatives, and insufficient evidence of unpaid compensation.
Land acquisition – representative suit – competence and locus standi of administrators without letters of administration; death of plaintiff and failure to join legal representative – abatement; scope of leave for representative suits – limited to listed persons; burden of proof in compensation claims – need for valuation/quantified evidence; evidential weight of government payment records (Exhibit D2).
31 May 2022
31 May 2022
31 May 2022
30 May 2022
30 May 2022
30 May 2022
Correction of CMA proceedings does not restart the six‑week limitation to challenge an award; application struck out as time‑barred.
Labour law – Limitation – computation of six‑week period under s.91(1)(a) ELRA – date of award as starting point. Procedural rectification – correction of proceedings does not restart limitation where award date unchanged. Law of Limitation – s.19(2) exclusion for time to obtain copies not applicable to delay caused by correcting proceedings absent corrected award. Remedy – strike out for time‑bar; extension of time would have been appropriate remedy if grounds made out.
30 May 2022
27 May 2022
The appellants' challenge to the respondent's registered title fails; registration is conclusive and appeal is dismissed with costs.
Land law – registered Certificate of Right of Occupancy – conclusiveness of registration under land titles system; proof behind the register not required where register and Registrar’s records show transfer; challenge to title requires clear documentary or registrable evidence; non-joinder of numerous persons not fatal absent necessity; tribunal application form/regulations sufficient; recusal raised first on appeal not entertained; admissibility of evidence weighed against documentary registry entries.
27 May 2022
Delay by the tribunal in supplying judgment copies constituted sufficient cause to grant extension of time to appeal.
Civil procedure – Extension of time – Section 41(2) Land Disputes Courts Act – discretion and good cause; Limitation – exclusion of time spent obtaining copies – section 19(2) Law of Limitation Act; Requirement of written request for copies of judgment, decree or proceedings; Failure of tribunal to notify applicant that copies were ready as ground for extension.
27 May 2022
26 May 2022
A 60‑day default notice read with the loan agreement satisfied s127(2) Land Act, rendering the auction sale lawful.
Land Act s.127(1)–(2) – notice of default – adequacy of 60‑day notice; must be read with loan/mortgage agreement; effect on power of sale. Mortgages – enforcement – public auction sale lawfulness when contractual arrangements disclose right to sell. Contract law – binding effect of loan agreement and member's assent to consequences of default.
26 May 2022
26 May 2022
26 May 2022
25 May 2022
25 May 2022
25 May 2022